Character Co. Blog
A List of Cannabis Fines and Infractions
(Listed by province)
Now that cannabis has been legalized in Canada, individual provinces are finalizing laws and regulations concerning cannabis
and cannabis consumption. Some provinces are much more severe than others, and the differences can vary greatly.
To help you navigate these new laws, we’ve compiled a list of fines and punishments by each province for offences such as driving while high to provincial by-laws and growing your own cannabis at home.
Penalties for Driving High
It really doesn’t matter which province you’re in, driving while high is illegal everywhere in Canada. The best way to avoid the penalties listed below, is to not drive high.
First offense:
Seizure of driver’s license for 90 days
Vehicle impounded for 3 days – driver responsible for towing fees
$200 fine
Second offense:
Seizure of driver’s license for 90 days
Vehicle impounded for 7 days
$300 fine
Possible driving course
Third offense:
Seizure of driver’s license for 90 days
Vehicle impounded for 30 days
$400 fine
Mandatory driving course
Possible mandatory ignition interlock (the device that measures THC or blood-alcohol level in blood in order to power vehicle)
More information on driving penalties in B.C. can be found on the government website.
Alberta
First offense:
Immediate 90-day licence suspension
Immediate 3-day vehicle seizure
Mandatory driving course
One-year participation in an ignition interlock program
$1,000 fine
Second offense
Immediate 90-day licence suspension
Mandatory driving course
One-year participation in an ignition interlock program
Mandatory 30-day imprisonment
Third offense
Mandatory driving course
One-year participation in an ignition interlock program
Mandatory 120-day imprisonment
The information above was found on the government of Alberta’s website.
Saskatchewan
First offense:
License suspension for 3 days
Impounded vehicle for 3 days
Mandatory driving course
New Criminal Code Charges:
Immediate driver’s licence suspension until the court has disposed of the charge
30-day vehicle seizure – vehicle owner responsible for towing and impound fees
60-day suspension if driver is also impaired by alcohol
Upon conviction
One-year driving suspension to a maximum of 5 years
Fine of $1,250 to $2,500
Mandatory driving course
More information related to the above can be found on the Government of Saskatchewan’s website.
Manitoba
First offense:
Suspension of driver’s license for one year
Possible 18 month imprisonment
$1,000 fine
Second offense:
5 year suspension of driver’s license
Minimum 30 days imprisonment
Third offense:
10 year suspension of driver’s license
Minimum 120 days imprisonment
Accident that leads to bodily harm or death:
5 year suspension of driver’s license
Possible 10 year imprisonment
More information can be found on the website of Manitoba Public Insurance.
Ontario
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation lists three different categories of penalty: offense without indictment, charges, and court convictions.
First offense:
3 day suspension of license
$250 fine
Second offense:
7 day suspension of driver’s license
Mandatory education program costing $350
Third offense:
30 day suspension of license
Treatment program
Ignition interlock device for 6 months
$450 fine
Mandatory medical exam
Court convictions – first offense:
Licence suspension of at least 1 year
Mandatory education or treatment program
Ignition interlock device for at least 1 year
Mandatory medical evaluation
Court convictions – second offense:
Licence suspension of at least 3 years
Mandatory education or treatment program
Ignition interlock device for at least 3 years
Mandatory medical evaluation
Court convictions – third offense:
Lifetime licence suspension
Mandatory education or treatment programs
Ignition interlock device for at least 6 years
Quebec
First offense:
Immediate suspension of license for 90 days
Possible suspension of license for one year
$1,000 fine
Second offense:
$2,000 fine.
Prison sentence with period determined by court
More information about Quebec’s driving penalties can be found on the SAAQ.
Prince Edward Island
Like Ontario, the Government of Prince Edward Island also separates penalties into three structures.
First offense:
1 day license suspension
7 day driving ban
vehicle impounded for 30 days
Second offense:
1 day suspension of your license
7 day driving ban
vehicle impounded for 60 days
Charge:
Vehicle impounded for 60 days
Court convictions – first offense:
1 year revocation of driver’s license
1 year driving ban
Court convictions – second offense:
5 year revocation of driver’s license
2 year driving ban
Court convictions – third offense:
5 year revocation of driver’s license
3 year driving ban
New Brunswick
The province of New Brunswick is the least clear of all the provinces about penalties related to driving while high. On the Government of New Brunswick‘s website, they list some possible punishments and/or penalties:
Short-term suspension
Immediate short-term roadside suspensions
Licence suspension
An administrative licence suspension program
Vehicle impoundment
Discretionary and mandatory vehicle impoundment for short-term and administrative licence suspensions
Re-education course
Participation in a re-education course for drug-impaired drivers
Reinstatement fees
Licence reinstatement fees
Zero tolerance
Zero tolerance for novice drivers and those under 21 years of age
Nova Scotia
First offence:
$1,000 fine
1 year licence suspension
Second offence:
Imprisonment of up to 30 days
3 year licence suspension
Third offence:
Imprisonment of up to 120 day
5 year licence suspension
Fourth offence:
Indefinite revocation of licence
More information can be found here.
Newfoundland
First offense:
Vehicle impounded for 7 days
1 year driving ban
$600 fine
Mandatory driving course
Second offense:
Vehicle impounded for 7 days
3 year driving ban
14 days jail time
Mandatory medical exam
Third offense:
10 year driving ban
90 days imprisonment
Mandatory medical exam
More information can be found on the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador‘s website, as well as DUI.ca.
Growing Your Own
Fresh Ingredients
Most provinces will allow Canadians to grow their own cannabis at home, with Manitoba and Quebec being the exception. View the varying rules and regulations by province below.
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
Prince Edward Island
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Newfoundland
Rules and Bylaws
Most provinces will allow Canadians to grow their own cannabis at home, with Manitoba and Quebec being the exception. View the varying rules and regulations by province below.
British Columbia
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Both government and privately-run storefronts and online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants, out of public sight
Where to smoke?: Prohibited in cars, in areas frequented by children, and wherever tobacco is restricted
Other notes: Landlords can restrict cultivation and smoking on their properties
B.C. marijuana legalization laws
Alberta
Age of legal consumption: 18+
Where to buy: Privately-run retail stores and government-operated online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants, subject to restrictions from landlords
Where to smoke?: Prohibited in cars, in areas frequented by children, and wherever tobacco is restricted.
Other notes: Kids are banned from entering cannabis stores, even with adult accompaniment
Alberta marijuana legalization laws
Saskatchewan
Age of legal consumption:19+
Where to buy: Privately-run storefronts and online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants, subject to landlord restrictions
Where to smoke?: Only on private property and in private residences, restricted use around minors
Other notes: Number of retail licenses issued will be restricted for first three years of legalization
Saskatchewan marijuana legalization laws
Manitoba
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Privately-run storefronts and online sales
Grow your own?: Not permitted
Where to smoke?: Only in private residences
Other notes: Legal age is one year above drinking age. It’s prohibited to sell cannabis to someone who is impaired by alcohol or other substances. Municipalities can hold a referendum to ban cannabis stores in their community.
Manitoba marijuana legalization laws
Ontario
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Online sales initially and then private retail shops by April 2019
Grow your own?: Up to four plants
Where to smoke?: Only on private property, subject to landlord restrictions
Other notes: Municipalities will have a “one time window” during which they will be able to opt-out of having cannabis stores within their boundaries
Ontario marijuana legalization laws
Quebec
Age of legal consumption: 18+
Where to buy: Government-operated storefronts and online sales
Grow your own?: Not permitted
Where to smoke?: Only where tobacco may be smoked, with the exception of university and CEGEP campuses
Other notes: Six companies signed on to provide the Quebec government with at least 62,000 kg of cannabis during first year of operation
Quebec marijuana legalization laws
Prince Edward Island
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Government-operated retail locations and online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants, so long as they’re not accessible to minors
Where to smoke?: Only on private residences, with some exceptions for certain public spaces
Other notes: PEI will have four government-owned retail locations for cannabis in 2018 in Charlottetown, Summerside, Montague, and West Prince
P.E.I. marijuana legalization laws
New Brunswick
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Government-operated storefronts and online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants
Where to smoke?: Only on private property and in private residences
Other notes: 20 cannabis stores will open in July 2018. All cannabis grown outdoors must be located behind a locked enclosure that is 1.52 metres high. Landlords can restrict cultivation and smoking on their properties.
New Brunswick marijuana legalization laws
Nova Scotia
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Government-operated storefronts and online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants
Where to smoke?: Only where tobacco may be smoked, subject to landlord restrictions
Other notes: 9 cannabis stores currently confirmed in: Amherst, Dartmouth, Halifax, Lower Sackville, New Glasgow, Sydney River, Truro and Yarmouth
Nova Scotia marijuana legalization laws
Newfoundland
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Privately-run licensed storefronts and government-operated online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants
Where to smoke?: Only on private property and in private residences
Other notes: Some shops will be run by Tweed, a subsidiary of cannabis giant Canopy Growth.
N.L. marijuana legalization laws
Northwest Territories
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Privately-run liquor stores and government-operated online sales
Grow your own?: Up to four plants
Where to smoke?: On private property and in private residences. Smoking will also be allowed on trails, highways, streets, roads and in parks when they are not in use for public events.
Other notes: Cannabis will initially be sold in existing liquor stores, with possibility of cannabis-only stores in the future. Individual communities will be able to enact cannabis restrictions and/or prohibitions. Landlords will also be able to declare their properties smoke-free.
N.W.T. marijuana legalization laws
Nunavut
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Established online vendors will be invited to sell in Nunavut, and private businesses can apply for a licence to sell cannabis, but consultation requirements mean no stores will open in 2018.
Grow your own?: Not banned, but the provincial government will regulate whether or not plants can be grown at home in the future
Where to smoke?: Not permitted in public places, other than a designated cannabis lounge or permitted event
Other notes: The offical Inuktitut name for cannabis is “surrarnaqtuq”
Nunavut marijuana legalization law
Yukon
Age of legal consumption: 19+
Where to buy: Government-operated storefronts and online sales.
Grow your own?: Up to four plants, out of public sight
Where to smoke?: Only on private property and in private residences, subject to landlord restrictions
Other notes: Whitehorse recently amended zoning bylaws to allow government-operated cannabis sales in only one area: Marwell. Licensing of private retailers will follow in the future
Yukon marijuana legalization laws